


My Tsum-mate

by Naferty



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tsum Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, tsum tsum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:09:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naferty/pseuds/Naferty
Summary: On his sixth birthday, Tony’s Tsum came to him. A tiny adorable little thing that’s dressed to the nines with blue. So much blue, with some white and some red.It also had with it a notable shield. Red and white with a star in the center.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 17
Kudos: 148
Collections: POTS (18+) Stony Stocking 2020





	My Tsum-mate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [athletiger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/athletiger/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [athletiger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/athletiger/pseuds/athletiger) in the [stony_stocking_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stony_stocking_2020) collection. 



> ii. tsums reveals your soulmate
> 
> Hope you like!

On his sixth birthday, Tony’s Tsum came to him. Loving and caring and eager for affection. It came barreling down for a hug the moment Tony spotted it. A tiny adorable little thing that’s dressed to the nines with blue. So much blue, with some white and some red.

It also had with it a notable shield. Red and white with a star in the center. 

Tony had been ecstatic when he realized his little Tsum was dressed as Captain America. He rushed to his father to show him, thinking the man would be proud for having a son that had  _ the  _ Captain America as his soulmate. 

Howard had not been proud. The man had been furious upon looking at his Tsum. He screamed. His face turned an unnatural red. He damned Tony’s Tsum and damned Tony for making Captain America a laughing stock. For getting a soulmate that got their rocks off dressing up and pretending to be a great American hero. 

Tony had no words, only tears. He hid in his room once given the chance and curled up into a ball to cry. All the while his little Tsum hugged and comforted him, promising everything is okay in his own little words.

Tony didn’t hug his Tsum back. Only kept himself curled up until the tears finally stopped. 

Since then, Tony tried his hardest to keep the Tsum hidden. He kept it at arm’s length. Refused to touch it unless necessary. Ordered it away. Never returned its hugs. Did everything possible to let it know it wasn’t wanted. 

Yet, the little Tsum stayed. 

Stayed right by his side. Every waking moment to every sleeping minute. Even as Tony pushed it away, the Tsum held on strong. Even as Tony screamed at it to leave, the Tsum absolutely refused and burrowed deeper in Tony’s backpack. 

Even as Tony ignored it as much as humanly possible, the Tsum was always there when he looked. 

For a long time, this was their relationship. Tony furiously pretending the Tsum didn’t exist, and the Tsum following happily without a care in the world. As if it simply didn’t give a damn about anything Tony had done to get rid of it. 

At least, that was what Tony first believed. 

He couldn’t remember what day it happened exactly, but he knew he was fourteen when it did. He was in MIT. The first year. He had recently befriended his Rhodey. Another teenage prodigy. They had gone somewhere. A party, maybe, and getting themselves in trouble. Tony had been gone all day, returning very late at night to his room and stopping in his tracks when he saw the lump on his bed. 

The Tsum that meant to represent his soulmate. The Captain America knockoff. It was curled up against the covers. Face tucked in its tiny little stumps that were meant to be hands. It was shaking furiously and making tiny squeaking sounds. Elongated sounds. They weren’t happy sounds. Under it was a fairly large wet spot. Dark and growing bigger.

_ Crying _ , Tony belatedly realized. The Tsum was crying and must have been crying for such a long time to have made the large wet spot of nothing but tears. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen the Tsum once throughout the day since waking up. This was where the Tsum must have been the entire time. Just curled into a ball and crying. 

Something in Tony broke at the sight. He had been out hanging with Rhodey and having fun, all while his soulmate imitation was curled alone in his room and crying. 

He guessed even Tsums had their problems and limits. Problems caused by their person and this little one’s limits pushed by Tony. 

He sighed. Neither of them asked for this. The Tsum had as much control over its appearance as Tony had over fate’s choice for his soulmate. It was unfair of Tony to keep punishing the Tsum for something they had no say in.

It wasn’t the Tsum’s fault Tony’s soulmate loved wearing Captain America’s costume so much that it was associated with their character just as it wasn’t Tony’s fault he was matched up with the costume player in the first place. Tony’s soulmate was at fault for everything, but the Tsum was innocent in all this. 

Their situation wasn’t ideal but the least they could do was make the most of it with each other. 

Tony reached out for the Tsum. He lifted the little one up and held it close to his chest. It continued to shake and make more squeaking noises, but it at least burrowed closer for warmth. Tony rocked back and forth with it. The guilt eating him inside. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered to it. “It’s not your fault my soulmate fancies dressing up as Howard’s great hero. It wasn’t right of me to blame you.” 

His little Tsum squeaked. A sound emulating of understanding. Forgiving. It made Tony feel worse. 

“I promise I won’t do it again. You never deserved this.”

Finally, the shaking stopped but the tears didn’t. It was a start. Tony had a lot to make up for, and he meant  _ a lot. _ Years worth, but that was okay. Tony was willing to work for it. 

Any resentment he carried for his soulmate was going to be saved for the person. Until the fateful day Tony finally met them, he was going to keep his resentment and disappointment quiet. As far away from his Tsum as possible. 

At least that was the plan. 

He expected to blow up on his soulmate upon their first meeting. Rip them a new one for all the hassle and annoyance they had caused because of their obsession with dressing up as Captain America. For the hardship they had caused Tony’s little Tsum. 

He never expected to stare down the actual Captain America,  _ Steve  _ fucking  _ Rogers _ himself, with a tiny Iron Man Tsum on his shoulder. Both looking agitated in their new world and looking at Tony and his  _ Captain America  _ Tsum as if they held all the answers.

Tony, with his Tsum safely tucked against his chest, cleared his throat and greeted the two. After his Tsum encouraged him to say something. 

His Tsum and Steve’s Tsum squeaked in joy and both jumped to hug each other. Tony and Steve settled on a handshake instead. 

“You’re not a robot,” Steve said, amazed. “I always wondered what exactly my Tsum represented. It makes sense now.” 

“Yeah,” Tony agreed, “This is much better than thinking my soulmate had a fetish for dressing up as an American hero.”

It was so much better. 


End file.
